Book-signature perforator



2 Sheets-Sheet 1.

K R A L U W J M M m BOOK SIGNATURE PERPORATOR.

Patented Oct. 8, 1895.

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' 2 ShetsSheet 2. J. W. CLARK.

BOOK SIGNATURE PERFORATOR. No. 547,420.

Patented Oct. 8, 1895.

ANDREW EGRANAMJNO'IOumQWAsmNGTDM 0.0.

Nrrno TATES JOHN WALKER CLARK, OF PHILADELPHIA, PENNSYLVANIA.

BOOK-SIGNATURE PERFORATOR.

SFEGIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 547,420, dated October 8, 1895.

Application filed December 20, 1894:- Serial No. 532,436. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that 1, JOHN WALKER CLARK, of the city and county of Philadelphia, State of Pennsylvania, have invented an Improvement in Book-Binding Machinery, of which the following is a specification.

A part of myimprovements relates to the employment of cutters for the purpose of perforating the signature when it is brought in contact with them. I-Ieretofore punches have been employed which have been brought in contact with the signature upon its supporting-arm, and in Letters Patent No. 472,011, granted to me on the 29th of March, 1892, I have shown a construction employing stationary punches with a movable signaturesupporting arm which is lifted to the punches. In the present invention I propose to use rotating or moving cutters, which may be either carried by a stationary frame, to which a movable signature supporting arm is raised, or upon a movable frame moved to a station ary signature-supporting arm.

My invention also relates to improvements in the signature supporting arm whereby a more clean puncture or cut may be obtained and the clogging of the recesses or dies with particles of paper may be avoided.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a front eleva: tion of a cutter-frame having the front plate removed. Fig. 2 is afront elevation of a signature-supporting arm embodying my improvements in the construction thereof. Fig. 3 is a front elevation, on a reduced scale, of part of the signature-supporting arm, illusi trating a modification thereof. I Fig. 4 is a vertical sectional view on a line correspond ing with the line can; of Figs. 1 and 2 of a cutter-frame and signature-supporting arm, illustrating my improvements. Fig. 5 is a similar view showing the signature-arm raised to the cutter-frame; and Fig. 6 is a front elevation of a portion of the signature-arm, il1ustrating the position thereof while the cutters are operating.

The particular construction of the cuttersupporting frame is not material to my invention. I prefer, however, to employ the construction shown, in which the frame consists of the intermediate plate 0 and the two outer removable plates 0 and 0 connected together, through the slots 01 in the plate 0, by pins d. The plates 0 are thus separated slightly and are movable up and down upon the plate 0'. The lower edges of the plate 0 which, when in the lowest position, extend beyond the lower edge of the plate 0', are adapted to receive the fold of the signature between them. These edges may be beveled, as shown at 0 Movable fingers I, projecting through slots in the plates 0 and normally depressed by springs I, may be employed to press upon the fold of the signature and free it from the cutters or perforating devices after it has been operated upon. F is the signaturesupporting arm which carries the signature A when it is acted upon by the perforating or cutting devices. These parts are fully described in my Letters Patent No. 472,011, previously mentioned, to which reference may be had for further de tails. In that patent the perforating-frame is shown provided with punches adapted to act upon the fold of the signature when it is lifted by the signature-arm.

I shall first describe that part of my invention which relates to the perforating devices. Instead of the punches fixed in the punchframe, I employ movable cutters adapted to act upon the folded edge ofthe signature when brought in contact therewith. In the drawings I have shown these cutters as a series of serrated disks H, carried upon a shaft H, extending between the plates 0 and under the edge of the plate C. The shaft H is shown the frame 0'. The shaft H may be rotated inany convenient manner, as by the bandwheel H and band H from shafting. So far as this part of my invention is concerned, it is immaterial whether the arm which carries the cutter is stationary and the signaturesupporting arm movable, as in my patent, No. 472,011, or whether the siguature-supporting arm is, stationary and the cutter-frame movable, as the invention resides in the employment of movable cutters, which act upon the paper with a cutting action, in lieu of punches, which are forced through the paper either by pressing the punches upon the sig nature or vice versa. The action of punches forces the edge of the paper about the perforation inward, and this tends to make a lump on the inside of the signature-fold adjacent journaled in suitable bearings h, carried by t to each puncture. By employing movable cutters which act upon the edge of the paper with a cutting action a clean cut or opening may be formed for the needles. While it is preferable to cut out and entirely remove a small portion of the paper, so as to expose a clean. hole or perforation for the passage of the needles, that is not absolutely necessary, and a simple slit or cut may be formed, if desired. I therefore do not mean to limit my invention to that particular form of cutters shown, nor to the special means for operating them. Any other form ofmovable cutters may be employed, with suitable meansto operate them, to act upon the folded edge of the signature with a cutting action, as distinguished from the punching operation now employed.

Another part of my invention relates to improvements in the construction of the signature-supporting arm, designed to assist the perforating or cutting devices in the formation of a clean opening for the needles.

My improved signature-supporting arm consists of two parts, movable with reference to one another,one of the parts being adapted to be moved up to support the inner edge of the signature-fold while the needle-holes are being formed. My preferred method of constructing this improved signature-supporting arm is as follows:

0 is the outer portion of the arm, consisting of two plates united together, as by pins or screws 0.

P is an intermediate plate located between the outer plates 0 and having freedom of Q 3 tion of the signature-supporting arm are concerned, itis not necessary that they be em- ;ployed in a movable arm with a stationary cutter-frame.

movement between them. Normally the up per edge of the intermediate plate P, which may be provided with suitably-located notches or die-recesses to receive the cutters or punches, is below the upper edges of the plates 0, as shown in Fig. 4. The inner end of the signature-arm F is supported, and when a movable arm is employed may be moved in journaled on a shaft D, and by means of suitarms, may be raised and lowered to bring each arm F in succession to the puncturing-frame. When an arm F is thus lifted, the movable plate P is raised, so that its upper edge projects slightly above the upper edge of the plate 0, as shown in Figs. 5 and 6. It then braces the fold of the signature on the inner side and firmly supports it while the puncturin g devices are operating.

For the purpose of elevating the plate P when the signature-arm is raised I prefer to employ the curved depending-arms K K, carried by the ends of a rock-shaft J, which is journaled in suitable bearings j, carried by the puncturing-frame. These arms K K are adapted, when the signature-arm F is lifted, to pass under the outer end of the signaturearm and strike the ends or projections Q Q of the movable plateP in the manner shown. When the arms K K are rocked, their outer ends are pressed against theprojectionsQQ ofthe plate P and thus force the plate upward in the manner described.

The arm K maybe operated in the manner described in Letters Patent No. 472,011, heretofore referred to, by means of an arm L, carried by the rock-shaft J and arranged in the path of the rising signature-arm F, so as to be struck and moved thereby. By this movement of the arm L the shaft Jwill be rocked and the arms K K will be moved into contact with the ends Q Q of the plate P. J is a stop-arm carried by the rock-shaft J and duced by the puncturing or cutting operations becoming lodged in the die recesses or spaces between the movable plate P and the 2 plate O,I prefer to form the latter with openings S, located adjacent to the recesses or notches in the plate P. Such particles of pa- 7 per as may be carried down in the notches or -,recesses 19 may thus pass out through the openings S.

So far as my improvements in the construc I do not limit myself to the minor details 1 of construction shown, as it is apparent that they may be varied without departing from my invention.

any suitable manner, as by a collar E, loosely 1 WVhat I claim as new, and desire to secure l by Letters Patent, is able devices the collar E, with the signature- Z 1. A signature perforating device for book binding machinery, consisting of a frame havfing twoparallel plates, between which the fold of the signature is received, and a series of movable cutters located between said 1 plates and adapted to act upon the signature fold with a cutting action.

2. A signature perforating device for bookbinding machinery, consisting of aframe hav- 'ing two parallel plates, between which the fold of the signature is received, a longitudinal shaft journaled between said plates, and a series of cutters carried by said shaft.

3. A signature supporting arm for bookbinding machinery, composed of two relatively movable parts, and means to move one part relatively to the other to project its edge beyond the edge of the other part, for the purpose of bracing the inside of the fold of the signature.

4. A signature supporting arm for book- ICC binding machinery, provided with a movable bracing piece adapted to be projected beyond the supporting edge of the arm for the purpose of bracing the inner edge of the folded signature.

5. A signature supporting arm for bookbinding machinery, consisting of the body portion 0, and the movable bracing piece P, the piece P normally having its edge below the edge of the body portion 0.

6. A signature supporting arm for bookbinding machinery, consisting of a body portion 0 provided with apertures S in the sides, and the movable bracing pieces P having notches or recesses 19 in its upper edge adjacent to the apertures S in the portion 0.

7. The signature supporting arm for bookbinding machinery consisting of two outer plates adapted to support the folded signature upon their upper edges and an interme- J. WALKER CLARK. Witnesses:

ERNEST HOWARD HUNTER, O. H. NEWCOMB. 

